Strength of Love
by Everythingistaken
Summary: Lisa and Jack just started making things work in their relationship, when destiny strikes and Lisa gets sick. A little Amy and Ty - Lou and Peter.
1. Introduction

Lisa was sitting in her way too big house in France. She looked around and felt lonelier than ever before.

She was supposed to enjoy the sun with Jack, taking some time off from the busy life at Heartland and Fair Field. Instead she was alone, doing business as usual, annoyed by the sunshine every day that just didn't match with her mood.

Slowly the time passed, after weeks that felt like years Lisa packed her stuff, said her goodbyes and flew back to Canada.

She was never more relieved to back home, near to the people she loved.  
_Yes_, she thought secretly, _I have missed them._

Her instincts led her straight to Heartland, without even thinking of going home first.

When she arrived at Jacks house, her heart was pounding.

_What are you doing Lisa? You can't just come back and expect Jack to welcome you happily, after all you left him. Oh please, I think I am going mad. _

Jack saw Lisa's car coming down the driveway. He left the dirty dishes in the sink and forced himself to get out of the house as calm – and cool – as he could.

"Lisa, you're back!"  
"Yeah, time flew," Lisa lied smiling. He didn't have to know that she spend two horrible month thinking about exactly that moment.

"Well, it's good to have you back."

"I just came by to check how everyone is dealing with everything."  
"Well, that's a long story, I guess you better come in and make yourself ready for some drama!"  
Jack made some coffee and soon they were sitting on the porch, telling each other everything that was going on in their life's.  
Just like in old times…

They didn't even realize that they were already together for hours, talking and switching their mugs to wineglasses.

"Oh Jack, I totally lost track in time, I have to get home and unpack!" Jack laughed: "Are you telling me, that you drove straight to Heartland from the airport?"

"What if I am?"  
"Well, than I would have to say, that that's pretty much like in old times. That it is making me very happy."  
"Jack…"

"It's all right Lis. We don't have to talk about it now."  
"But.. I… I really missed you Jack. I guess I shouldn't say that, but… I really missed you. I don't want to do this anymore. Today was great, but –"  
"What are you trying to say?"  
"If you are still in this… I would like to try where we could go again. I was miserable in France, thinking about you guys here."  
"I… I don't know what to say. I love you, Lisa, nothing has changed that. But you are mostly in France, I'm here and none of us is comfortable changing that…"  
"except one of us is. I have thought about it a lot. It wasn't fair from expecting you to change your life. Maybe it is my turn to change some things. I can't stand the thought of not going back to France every once in a while, but maybe once a year has to be enough than.  
I really want this, Jack. I want us."  
"Lisa, is that one of your explosive decisions? You know, I want you. You know I want us. But if you say those things, there is no going back."

Jack looked claiming at Lisa, hoping she means what she said.  
"Yeah Jack. I mean it. We just have to figure out a way to make everything work."

Jack looked at the blond, beautiful woman. And before he knew it, they kissed each other for the first time in a very long time.

"Let's just take it slow," Lisa said.

And of course, how destiny wanted it, Amy, Ty, Lou and Peter came back from Lou and Peters new house, which was as good as new and ready to be moved in.

"So much for taking it slow, hm?!" Jack giggled happily.

Days passed by, they turned into weeks, months. Lisa and Jack made it work so far and figured out how to work around each other again.

One morning Jack woke up and as usually reached out for Lisa in his bed. But she wasn't there. He heard a strange noise coming from his bathroom, where he found Lisa throwing up.

"God Lisa, again?" he mumbled and was quickly by her side holding her.

After a few minutes, Lisa looked absolutely awful, sick and tired. "Lisa, you have to go to a Doctor. You have been looking miserable since days, throwing up all week and –"  
"Jack, I'm fine, really, there's nothing for you to worry about. Just one of those stupid stomach bugs."  
Jack wasn't convinced, what ever was going wasn't fine, but he decided to not put more pressure on her.

"All right then, I'll get you some water."

Lisa got herself in the shower, trying to pull herself together for an important business day. Even though she didn't want to admit it, Lisa knew something wasn't right. What Jack didn't know was that since weeks she had those cramps in her lower stomach.

There was just no time for getting sick and she told herself that it was probably just one of those viruses.


	2. Dizzy

Lisa made it threw the day and forced herself to Heartland, she promised Jack her help with Kate, since Lou and Peter were still making everything ready at their new house and Ty and Amy begged for a night to themselves.

Jack expected Lisa with a comfy fire and some whine, when the pale and tired blond arrived.

"Hey, Liz. It's so good to have you here."  
"Jack, it hasn't been 24 hours since the last time we saw us." "I know, I know. Still. Are you hungry?"  
"No thanks, I'm good."  
Jack looked at Lisa, worried. Something wasn't right. They made themselves comfortable on the couch, staring at the fire.

"Lisa, are you sure everything is fine?"  
"What do you mean?"  
"I'm really worried. I don't want to annoy you with me being overprotecting, but I really think you should see someone."  
"Jack…"  
"I'm just saying…"  
"Let's just enjoy the evening."

After a few relaxing hours Lisa made herself ready for driving home – usually she stayed over night now, but today she felt like sleeping in her own bed.

Just when she got up, everything went dark and fuzzy for a moment. Before she hit the ground, Jack was there and held her.

"Liz! Lisa…"

Lisa gained back consciousness and felt like she just ran a marathon. "What the… What happened?"  
"You just blacked out. It's all right, just lie down on the couch for a minute, I'll make the bed ready, you can't drive like this."

Lisa wasn't protesting and rested until Jack came back. He carried her in his bedroom, helped her change in one of his shirts and lay down beside her.

"First thing tomorrow I will drive you to the doctors."

But Lisa didn't make it to the next morning. In the middle of the night a sharp pain in her abdomen woke her up.


	3. Nothing's gonna happen

Jack was still soundly asleep. Lisa got out of his embrace and slowly made her way to the kitchen for some painkillers. While she was waiting in the living room for the pills to kick in the pain got worse.

Finally Jack woke up and began to look for Lisa. He found her on the floor in front of the couch, white as a wall, clinching her teeth together, not able to speak.

"Lisa, what –"he didn't finish the sentenced, called an ambulance and than waited beside her, holding her.

Lisa clinched her fingers around Jacks arms but tried to not move, since that only made the pain worse. "Jack, I… Argh, it really hurts." She was running a high fever and looked miserable.

The ambulance arrived and hurried Lisa to the hospital.

There the doctors examined, Jack was by Lisa's side the whole time, but she didn't really realize what was going on, Lisa was constantly passing out and regaining her conciseness.

After what felt like a hundred exams the doctor made an ultrasound and could finally tell Jack what was going on, since Lisa was suddenly rushed in the OR.

"Mr. Bartlett, your wife has an acute peritonitis and needs surgery right away. We had no time to exactly find out what has caused it, but right now it seems like Mrs. Stillman suffers from a rare form of cancer in her ovaries, that has now caused the peritonitis.

I am very sorry; we will do everything we can right now and than figure out exactly what is happening."  
Than the doctor left Jack behind hurrying to cut Lisa open.

Jack did his best to keep it together, trying to process everything that has happened in the last hours. Just than Amy, Lou and Ty arrived. Jack had to call him on the way to the hospital, telling them to watch Katie. They informed Lou and Peter,

"Grandpa, what's going on? What happened?"  
Jack explained and together they waited. Finally the doctor appeared and informed them: "Everything went all right so far Mr. Bartlett. Mrs. Stillman is going to wake up in the next 20 minutes."  
"Thank you, doctor!" Everyone was relieved, but not ready to stop worrying.

"Unfortunately we did find a tumour wrapped around one of the ovaries. That is probably what has caused the peritonitis. We took the tumour out but now have to wait for the results. Worst case scenario would be that the tumour was virulent."

"What you're saying is that Lisa probably has cancer?" Lou asked shocked.

"I'm sorry, but yes. But we'll have to do some more tests to be sure."  
Jack hurried in Lisa's room, after he sent the rest back home since it was the middle of the night and there was nothing they could do right now.

After a few minutes Lisa slowly opened her eyes. "Liz, it's so good to have you back!" Jack whispered.

"Jack, I… What happened?!" Lisa asked with a raspy voice.

Jack explained everything and told her what happened. Fearfully Lisa fell asleep again, Jack didn't leave her side.

After two following days of worrying the doctors confirmed what they were afraid of. Lisa had cancer. "Mrs. Stillman, I know that this is a shock, but I strongly recommend that we take out the ovaries and the uterus, last time we only took out the tumour, but now that we know that it's cancer we should react as fast as possible."

"Well, I guess I don't have a choice, do I?"  
"No, you don't Liz. We'll do everything to get you back on your feet fast!" Jack encouraged her.

When the doctor left Lisa's room and the couple had some time alone Lisa said: "Jack, I need you to do something."  
"I will to everything you need Liz."  
"In case… In case something happens. Please, I don't have a testament – "  
"- Lisa, don't!"

"No Jack, please, let me talk! You know things happen all the time. IF anything should happen, I need to know that you'll make sure Ben gets the ranch and that you'll help him in the beginning. Don't let him sell it! Amy can use it, I don't care about that, but don't let anyone sell it, all right?"  
"Of course, but Lisa, nothing is going to happen. Ben will arrive tomorrow, you can talk to him than yourself, but nothing is going to happen. I won't let that happen. It's going to be all right."  
Lisa's eyes filled with tears. Jack grabbed her hand and they waited like that for the nurses. After Lisa was prepped for surgery Jack told her one last time that he loved her.

Than he waited.

Again. Of course the rest of the family was around to, silently supporting each other.

Everything went all right, after another week in hospital Jack could take Lisa home.

Obviously he wasn't alright with letting Lisa take care of herself at Fair Field, so they packed some things and she moved in with Jack for the next weeks.  
Ben arrived too, supporting his aunt. He stayed at Fair Field, making sure everything was running smoothly as long as Lisa had to take some time off.


	4. Tired Lisa - worried Amy

"Rise and Shine my love, come on, wake up," Jack smoothly woke Lisa up.

"Oh Jack, you're spoiling me." Lisa looked at the breakfast she was served in bed. Chemo has started two weeks ago, the doctor recommended to have the sessions in short intervals over the next 5 weeks.

Lisa has been doing her best to keep it together. The only moment she couldn't stop the tears was when her hair started to fall out. She didn't think it would be that much of a problem for her, but every time she looked in the mirror now, everything seemed to scream _You have cancer, you are sick, you might die! _

Her appetite was gone since days but Jack did his best to make sure she ate something every once in a while.

"Only the best for you. You should get ready, we have to leave for the hospital in an hour"  
"Yeah, I know. Thank you Jack. You know, I honestly couldn't do this without you."

A few hours later Jack and Lisa were in the car driving back home from the hospital. Lisa looked wrecked, the chemotherapies really have started getting to her.

"How are you feeling Lisa?"  
"It's all right. I'm good, really. Just a little tired."  
"How about we get some food for a barbeque and we spend a nice evening all together? I can call Ben if you like."  
"Yes, sure, that sounds lovely Jack."

Lisa fell asleep in the car, Jack got the groceries for the barbeque and soon they arrived at Heartland.

"Hey Grandpa, how did it go?" Amy greeted his grandfather. Lisa was still sleeping.

"It went ok, I think the chemo started to kick in… She fell asleep pretty much the moment I turned on the car."  
Amy brought the groceries in the house while Jack tried to figure out a way how to get Lisa into the house without waking her up.

He carried her to the porch and laid her on a sun lounger in the sunshine.

Later that day the family gathered around for the barbeque. Lou, Amy, Ty, Peter, Mallory, Georgie, Jack, Kate, everyone was there.

"She's really not looking so good, is she?" Amy said to Ty while they were in the kitchen getting some drinks.

"I know, it's really hard on her. Just imagine, a few month ago she was still running around at Fair Field, managing the most successful breeding stable in the area and now she can barely get on a horse…"

"Ty, if anything ever happens to me or – "  
"Amy, don't go there!"  
"No, please. Let me finish. I need to know that no matter what, we'll get through it. I couldn't imagine going through something like Lisa has to without you."  
"Amy, I will never leave you. I promise. Nothing can break us up. Just look at Jack and Lisa. They had so many problems before they knew she was sick and now they make the perfect team again.I feel like the whole family has gotten closer to support on another. And nothing will ever change that."

"The family really did grow closer together, didn't it? Even Georgie stayed home a few days ago instead of riding Phoenix because grandpa wanted her to stay with Lisa."

"Ty?"  
"Yeah?"

"You know I love you, right?"  
"I love you too."  
"We should go back outside."

Before they did, Ty kissed Amy dearly and they hold each other for minutes


	5. Barbeque-Time

As they were all sitting around the table having a good time, Peter stood up to make a toast: "In the last couple of months our family had quite a rough time. Lou and I almost lost our home, Georgie almost had to leave and now we all are fighting the cancer together with you, Lisa. But despite all of that bad news we had and still have to handle, I think it is time for some good: Lou is pregnant again!"

After a few seconds of realising the congratulation started. It turned out to be a greater night than expected.

Later that night Lisa and Peter sat alone at the fire, everyone else was busy clearing the table.

Peter noticed that Lisa's mood had changed from immensely happy to very quite again.

"Lisa, is something on your mind?"

"What?"  
"I asked what's on your mind. You're very quite suddenly."  
"Nothing, really. I was just thinking about you and Lou, building quite a big family."  
"Yeah, it's all happening quite quickly…"  
"But that's wonderful Peter, really! The new house is perfect for a big bunch of kids. I'm so happy for you."

"Thank you, Lisa. We weren't sure if we should tell anyone right now with you being sick…"  
"Oh, don't worry about that. I'm fine. When the baby arrives I might even have some of my hair back."

After a few moments of silence Peters said : "Lisa, can I ask you something?"  
"Sure, what is it?"  
"Why did you never have any children? I mean, I know that you were married, successful and you're great with Katie…"

Lou and Georgie joined them but Lisa wasn't disturbed by the curiousness.  
"It just didn't happen. It took me a long time to make some profit, when the time got better Dan and I were always travelling, it just didn't fit in our lifestyle. And when the time came I felt the wish to be a mother our marriage was already falling apart. So I started concentrating on riding and breeding even more, what of course didn't help my marriage…"  
"Did the two of you never talk about starting a family?"  
"We didn't have that kind of relationship like you and Lou have. After a few years of marriage everything we seemed to be talking about was horses, the love for the horses was soon everything that connected us."  
Georgie: "Why didn't you leave him right away than?"

"I don't know honey… I tried to make it work and when I realised that nothing was going to change I did leave him. Or rather made him leave Fair Field."  
Lou, Peter and Georgie cuddled up next to each other, they've been growing together a lot ever since Lou suggested adopting the little girl.

Lou: "And now you have a family anyway, without ever having to go through a birth."  
Lisa laughed: "I guess I do. Not too bad, right? Well, I'm gonna go to bed, it was a long day."

Lou, Amy, Ty and Peter stayed outside a little while longer.

Lou interrupted the silence: "It feels weird. After my mom died and Lisa came into our life's I was afraid that she would think that she has to replace her.

Now after all we've been through together I really feel like she became like a mother to me."  
Peter: "I know honey. But you don't have to worry that you'll loose her too. Jack says the chemo has already lowered the risk of remaining tumours, when she gets through the next few weeks we should be able to breathe again."

"I know. It's just scary. We're having another baby and we don't even know for sure if she's gonna meet it. It's not fair."

Amy comforts her sister: "But you heard Peter. Lisa's chances are not bad these days. We'll make it through this."

Inside Lisa and Jack got themselves ready to go to bed. Even though Lisa had a "free day" following, they sickness was tiring both of them.

"You had a nice chat with Peter?" Jack asked her.

"Yeah, we talked about my time with Dan and why I never had children."

"You ok?"  
"Yes my Love, there's no need for you to asked me that every 60 minutes."  
"I didn't mean to annoy you, I just know that that's not one of you favourite themes, I though you might wanna talk -"  
"You're right, it isn't one of my favourite themes. There's no need to talk about my miscarriages every second day. So let's just go to bed."

Jack knew Lisa wasn't herself right now but he hated it when she was snapping at him like that so he just dropped it.

Later in bed Lisa apologised: "I'm sorry. I'm just tired and frustrated. It has nothing to do with you."  
"I know. It's all right."  
"Chemo has slowly started to turn me into a Cancer-Bitch."  
Jack laughs: "You know that's not true. We all have things we don't wanna talk about. Let's just get some sleep."

And that's what they did.


	6. The End

The next weeks weren't easy for the family, but they managed to get through them.

Than came the day Lisa hat her last session of chemotherapy.

A few days later, Lisa's phone rang.

"Lisa Stillman."  
"Good evening Mrs. Stillman, it's Dr Clark, I've got some good new for you."  
"Oh please, tell me it's gone!"

"It's gone. You are officially cancer free."  
Lisa didn't her the rest her doctor told her. All she could think about was the mass of time that she had left now.

She felt like she could breathe again for the first time in weeks. Tears slowly made their way down her cheeks.

She hung up and simply sat in the garden, letting the sun inside of her.

When Jack came home he saw her sitting outside.

"Lisa, what's wrong?"  
"What?"  
"What's wrong?"  
"Nothing, everything is perfect."  
"But you are crying."  
"Jack, it's over. I'm fine. The cancer is gone."  
"What…?"  
"Dr Clark just told me."  
There were no words left to be said.

Jack pulled Lisa into his arms and they stood there a long time silently holding themselves.

After a while Jack breaks the silence: "Well, there's one bad thing about you being healthy."  
"Oh really? What's that?"  
"I kinda got used to having you around all the time."  
Lisa laughed "Didn't I tell you at the beginning that you shouldn't?"

"I tried my best…"  
"I'm sure you did. But I gotta move back home, otherwise Ben might kill me!"

"We'll figure something out Lisa."  
"I know. We always do, don't we?"  
"We sure do. I love you Lisa."  
"And I love you."


End file.
